Control mechanism



Dec. 17, 1935. H. L. HAYNEs CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2l, 1932 Dec. 17, 1935. H, L. HAYNES 2,024,162

` CONTROL MECHANI SM Filed Deo. 2l, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @hm/M Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNlTED STATES iATENT OFFICE Application December 21, 1932, Serial No. 648,178

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a control mechanism and has special reference .to time-controlled switches, and the like, which may be automatically actuated at definite and variable time intervals.

More particularly, this invention relates to a time-controlled switch mechanism having an actuating member for operating a switch, and control mechanism for regulating the movement of said actuating member.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improvement form of actuating mechanism capable 0f using with a snap switch, or the like, which mechanism may be controlled by a clock and bears a very simple mechanical relationship with the switch itself.

Another object of this invention is to provide an escapement mechanism connected to the actuating member which may be intermittently operated at definite and variable time intervals by a clock or other time-controlled mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to provide a housing comprising two separable halves; one of Which halves contains the switch itself and all of its associated mechanism, conducting wires, etc., the other of which halves contains all of the time-operated mechanism which actuates the switch at definite and controllable intervals.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a time-controlled mechanism that, while engaging the levers of a snap switch, is otherwise entirely disconnected from the switch.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which latter:

Figure 1 is a front plan View of a time-controlled switch embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a partial rear elevational view showing the actuating member and gears associated therewith;

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the escapement mechanism which is connected to the actuating member;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the wheel-end of the escapement mechanism shown in Fig. 4 in contact with the star-wheel and disc forming the rest of the stop member, both portions being in position to prevent movement thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 5 with the elements in changed position in the act of rotating to permit movement of the actuating member.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

there is shown a two-part casing comprising housings I and 2 so constructed as to allow them te be attached to each other to form a complete unitary for both the time-controlled mechanism and the switch. 5

As shown in the drawings, housing I holds the time mechanism which may take the form of a clock, and will so be referred to hereinafter, and housing 2 holds the switch proper.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that 10 the housing l has a hinged door 3 at its forward side. This door is provided with a glass or other transparent window fi through which the timeindicating and control-indicating hands, dial, etc., are visible.

-door 3 as, for instance, by a screw 5 is provided, and preferably a gasket of water-proof and dustproof material is placed between the door and the body of the housing I to prevent access of dust and moisture. In order to fasten the hous- 20 ings together, the rearward housing 2 is provided with two forwardly projecting male screws (not shown) which extend almost to the forward interior surface of the housing I. Suitable female screws B, fastened through openings in the front 25 surface of housing I, engage the forwardly projecting screws and serve to hold the housings and their therein contained mechanism in proper relationship. The screws 6 having solid slotted heads effectively seal off the housing I against 30 admission of dust and moisture. It will thus be seen that the assembling of the two housings is an exceedingly simple operation and consists merely iny placing the housing I against the cooperating edge of the housing 2 thereby properly 35 centering the screws with the holes through which the female screws pass and thereby inserting and tightening the screws 6.

Referring to Fig. 2, a standard form of electrical snap switch 'I is shown fastened to the in- 40 tericr rear surface of housing 2. The snap switch may be of any usual make, except that in place of the button or knob usually found on snap switches there is provided a double-lever 8 which is keyed tol the shaft 9 of the switch so that on 45 moving lever the shaft will be rotated. It is also to he understood that there is the usual form of restraining spring within the switch so that the same will suddenly and rapidly change its position when the shaft 9 is rotated a sufficient 50' distance. As this construction is well known in the art of snap switch construction, the same will be understood without further description. The one essential dilference in the present switch is that the lever 8 replaces the ordinary 55 Means for tightly closing the 15v knob. This lever, which has two oppositely disposed arms extending outwardly from the shaft 9, makes it possible to operate the switch by the controlling mechanism whose release is actuated by a clock in the housing I The clock I0 is fastened to the interior of the housing I by means of screws I I. This clock may be of standard construction and may be similar to an alarm clock. As the clock may be of standard construction, only such elements thereof will be described as is necessary for an understanding of the present invention.

Main spring I2 is preferably employed to operate the switch-turning mechanism as well as the clock itself. The main spring shaft I3 may be shaped at one end to t a key to be used in winding the same, and a gear i4 may be loosely mounted on the opposite or rear end thereof.

A ratchet I 5 is xedly mounted about the main spring shaft I3 adjacent gear I4. A pawl I6, pivotally mounted at II to gear I4 and held adjacent the ratchet I5 by spring I'Ia, permits the main spring I2 to be wound up by rotating the main spring shaft I3 without causing any movement of gear I4, while movement of the ratchet I5 in a clockwise direction, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 3, moves the gear I4 therewith. Gear I4 meshes with pinion I8 which is connected to an actuating member or gear I9.

Actuating member I9 is provided with outwardly projecting members or pins 20 which are so positioned as to engage the oppositely extending arms of the lever 8 on shaft 9. As the main spring shaft I3, due to the action of main spring I2, tends, when under any tension, to rotate in the direction of the arrow shown on gear I4, there is a constant tendency for the actuating member I9 to rotate at all times in the direction of the arrow shown thereon.

In order to prevent rotation of the actuating member I9, except when it is desired to operate switch 1, an escapement mechanism such as is shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 may be employed. A portion of this mechanism is shown in Fig. 4. This may comprise a pinion 2| which meshes with the actuating member or gear I9. Pinion 2| is mounted on a stud shaft 22 on the end of which is a half sleeve 23 with a split collar 24 adjacent the jointure of the shaft 22 and the half sleeve 23. A coil spring 25 is provided with enlarged end coils 26 which are adapted to fit over the half sleeve Z3 with the outwardly extending portion 21 in the groove formed between the ends of the split collar 24. A shaft portion 28, having a reduced end portion 29, is inserted within the spring 25 with the reduced portion 29 extending into opening 30 in the shaft 22 in which it is freely rotatable.

A wheel 3|, having a central aperture 32 and a sleeve 33 extending inwardly therefrom, is positioned over the reduced end 29a of shaft portion 28. A split collar 34 is provided on sleeve 33 so that the projecting portion 21a of spring 25 will t into the notch provided between the ends of split coll'ar 34.

When' the portion of the stop member shown in Fig. 4 is mounted in the clock casing, as shown in Fig. 2, with a sleeve 35 between the outer face of wheel'3I and the adjacent clock casing, a unitary structure is formed which is substantially rigid but at the same time, due to the spring 25, prevents a sudden jerking movement if one end is suddenly stopped while the member as a unit is being rotated. The advantages 0f this Will be hereinafter set forth.

Wheel 3I is provided with a peripheral clearance notch 35 adjacent which is a dog 31. As pinion 2l meshes with the actuating member I9, the portion of the escapement mechanism just described will also tend to rotate as long as the main spring is under any tension.

In order to prevent rotation of wheel 3 I, a star-- wheel 33 is mounted on the front clock casing adjacent wheel 3l. The star-wheel maybe provided with four concavely rounded sides having a radius substantially the same as that of wheel 3l so that wheel EI may engage the star-wheel 38 as shown in Fig. 5.

A disc 33 is xedly secured to the face of said star-wheel away from wheel 3i, or, in other words, to the rear side of star-wheel 38. Slots or grooves 4S extend inwardly from the periphery of disc 39 at an angle to the radii thereof in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said disc which is shown by the arrow in Fig. 5.

As shown in this ligure, dog 3? is on the lower face of whe-el 3i. Thus, when the periphery of wheel 3i engages one of the concave surfaces of star-wheel 3B, wheel 3 I, due to the action of main spring I2, will rotate in the direction shown by i the arrow thereon until dog 3l comes in contact with the periphery of disc 3S. When this occurs, further rotation of wheel 3| is prevented until star-wheel 3S and disc 3S are moved in the direc tion as shown by the arrows. Upon movement of star-wheel 38 and disc 39, dog 31 engages one of the slots et and the tension of the main spring i2 causes wheell to rotate rapidly until it is suddenly stopped when dog Si again engages the periphery of disc 39. 25 prevents the rest of the mechanism heretofore described from likewise suddenly stopping with the consequent strain on the parts. instead, due to the resiliency of Yspring 25, pinion ZI and the gears connecting the same to the main spring I2 come to a more gradual stop and a great deal of strain is removed from the mechanism, thereby lessening the possibility oi its getting out of order or requiring the replacement of parts. It may thus be seen that only upon partial rotation of 5* star-wheel 3S and disc rnay the actuating mem- Der IS be rotated to operate the switch. It is therefore necessaryl to provide means for periodically rotating star-wheel 38 and disc 33 to permit the operation of the switch at definite and variable time intervals.

Stud shaft 4l, upon which is mounted starwheel 38 and disc 3S, extends forwardly through the front of the clock casing as shown Vin Fig. 2, and on the outer end thereof .may be provided a pair of intersecting levers or arms 42 and e3 as shown particularly in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

One of the arms 42 is preferably formed to lie closer to the outer front face of the clock casing than the arm @3 which is a greater distance therefrom. As the intersecting arms or levers ft2 and 43 are rotated, the star-Wheel 38 and disc Se are rotated sufficiently to permit dog 31 to engage a slot 45! in the direction of the arrows as shown in Fig. 5, thus permitting wheel 3i to make one complete rotation which, with the proper arrangement of the gears and pinions, causesV the switch to be operated. As two intersecting arms and levers are provided, shaft i is given no more than a ninety degree turn, which is only suiicient to cause a ninety degree rotation or less of star-wheel'i! and disc 39 and thereby prevents wheel 3| from making more than one complete rotation.

When this happens, spring "f In order to manually rotate star-wheel 38 and disc 39 to permit operation of the switch whenever desired a pinion 4 la is motmted on stud shaft 4| and meshes with pinion 42a mounted on a stud shaft 43a. A knob 44a is provided on the outer end of stud shaft 43a so as to be accessible through the hinged door 3.

A dial 44 is provided on the clock and is arranged to make one rotation in twenty four hours. Dial 44 is mounted on a sleeve 45, the outer end of which is preferably tapered so that as the dial is moved inwardly on the sleeve 45 it more tightly binds the sleeve to prevent relative movement between them. A pair of hands or markers 45 and 41 are likewise mounted on sleeve 45 just beneath dial 44. The outer ends of the markers 45 and 41, which are preferably pointed at their ends, are bent upwardly and inwardly so that the inner ends thereof extend on top of the dial 44 and serve to indicate the times at which the switch will be actuated. Each of the arms 46 and 41 is preferably provided `with an inwardly extending i portion 49 and 48, respectively which may be formed by cutting out a portion of the arms 46 and 41 and bending the same toward the clock mechanism. The inwardly extending portion 48 is preferably shorter than the inwardly extending portion 49, so that the former will ride over the lever 42 and only strike lever 43 to rotate shaft 4|. With this arrangement, the arms 46 and 41 may be set to operate the switch twice in each twenty-four hour period when two arms are employed. Arms 46 and 41 being mounted on the tapering sleeve 45, when properly positioned as desired, will be held in place by tightening nut 5B which is threaded onto the outer end of sleeve 45. To prevent nut 5B from becoming unfastened, a second nut iii is threaded on the outer end of sleeve 45 which acts to lock nut 50 against rotation with respect to sleeve 46.

The operation of the time-controlled switch 1 is as follows:

The hands or markers 46 and 41 are positioned to operate the switch at the desired times as shown on the fase of the dial. Upon rotation of sleeve 45 with dial 44 and arms 46 and 41, one of the inwardly projecting members 48 or 49 will engage one of the arms 4Z or 43, thereby rotating shaft 4| no more than ninety degrees and starwheel 33 and disc 39 on the end of shaft 4|. This permits wheel 3| to make one complete rotation whereby the main spring |2 causes actuating member I9 to rotate a suflicient distance to operate the switch 1. The whole operation, due to the spring 25 in the arrangement of parts, is comparatively smooth with practically no sudden jarring, thus greatly increasing the life of the device. As the actuating member 9 is caused to rotate by main spring l2, the control mechanism is certain of operating as long as the clock runs.

Although the actuating member has been hereinbefore described as being operated by main spring I2, a separate spring might be provided for this purpose.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention and it is therefore wished that the invention be limited only by the scope of the prior art and the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a time-controlled construction comprising a member for being actuated, a rotatable toothed actuating member and means tending to cause continuous rotation of said actuating member, an escapement mechanism comprising a 5 shaft, a pinion on said shaft for engagement with said actuating member, a notched wheel on said shaft having a projecting member on the face thereof, means for connecting said pinion with said wheel, means for cooperating with said wheel to permit limited rotation thereof at predetermined intervals comprising .a star-wheel 2. In an escapement mechanism, the combi- 20 nation of a shaft, transmission means on said shaft, a notched wheel having a projecting member on the face thereof mounted on said shaft and connected with said transmission means,

means tending to cause continuous rotation of 25 said transmission means and means for cooperating with said wheel to permit limited rotation thereof at predetermined intervals comprising a wheel having a concave portion in one side thereof for cooperating with the periphery of 3 said first wheel, a disc rotatable with said second wheel having a notch in the periphery for registering with said projecting member, and timecontrolled means for rotating said second wheel and disc at predetermined intervals. 3

3. In an escapement mechanism, the combination of a shaft, transmission means on said shaft, a notched wheel having a projecting member on the face thereof mounted on said shaft and connected with said transmission means, means tending to cause continuous rotation of said transmission means and means for cooperating with said wheel to permit limited rotation thereof at predetermined intervals comprising a star-wheel having the sides thereof formed to 4 cooperate with the periphery of said first wheel, a disc rotatable with said star-wheel having a notch in the periphery thereof for registering with said projecting member, and time-controlled means for rotating said second wheel and 5 disc at predetermined intervals.

4. In an escapement mechanism, the combination of a shaft, transmission means on said shaft, a notched wheel having a projecting member on the face thereof mounted on said shaft 5 and connected with said transmission means, means tending to cause continuous rotation of said transmission means and means for cooperating with said wheel to permit limited rotation thereby at predetermined intervals compris- 5 ing a star-wheel having concavely rounded sides for cooperating with the periphery of said rst wheel, a disc having a diameter greater than the diameter of said star-wheel rotatable with said star-wheel, said disc having notches extending inwardly from the periphery in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said disc positioned so as not to register with said projecting member when said rst wheel is in 7 engagement with a rounded surface of said starwheel, and time-controlled means for rotating said disc and star-wheel at predetermined intervals a distance sufficient to permit said projecting member to register with one of said notches 75 whereby said rst wheel may make one complete rotation.

5. In a time-controlled construction comprising a member for being actuated, a rotatable actuating member and meansftending to cause continuous rotation of said actuating member, an escapement mechanism comprising transmission means, a notched wheel connected with said transmission means and having a projecting member on the face thereof, means for cooperating with said Wheel to permit limited rotation thereof at predetermined intervals, comprising a rotating member having rounded concave portions for cooperating With the periphery of said first Wheel, a disc for rotating with said rotatable member having a notch in the periphery thereof for registering With said projecting member on said rst Wheel, and time-controlled means for rotating said disk and rotatable member at predetermined intervals.

6. In an escapementmechanism the combination of transmission means, a notched Wheel having a projecting member on the face thereof connected with said transmission means, means tending to cause continuous rotation of said transmission means and means for cooperating with said wheel to permit limited rotation thereof at predetermined intervals, comprising a Wheel having a concave portion in one side thereof for cooperating with the periphery of said first Wheel; a disc rotatable with said second wheel, having a notch in the periphery thereof for registering with said projecting member, and time controlled means for rotating said second Wheel and disc at predetermined intervals.

'7. In an escapement mechanism a shaft, a pinion loosely mounted on said shaft, a wheel having a projecting member on the face thereof loosely mounted on said shaft, a coil spring positioned about said shaft, having one end connected to said pinion and the other end connected to said Wheel, and rotating means for normally engag- 

